about the project

Project Study Team

Lead Agencies

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) will act as lead agencies for the Circle Interchange project. As such, FHWA (Division Administrator) and IDOT will be responsible for making final project recommendations and decisions.

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) District 1 is leading the Planning (Phase I) and Design (Phase II) of the Circle Interchange project. IDOT has responsibility for planning, construction and maintenance of Illinois' extensive transportation network, which encompasses, highways and bridges, airports, public transit, rail freight and rail passenger systems. The mission of IDOT is to provide safe, cost-effective transportation for Illinois in ways that enhance quality of life, promote economic prosperity, and demonstrate respect for the environment.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is the lead federal agency for the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review process. They also provide expertise, resources, and information to continually improve the quality of our nation's highway system and its inter-modal connections. The FHWA is a part of the Department of Transportation and is headquartered in Washington, D.C., with field offices across the United States.

Project Study Team (PST)

The Project Study Team is a working group consisting of a multidisciplinary team of representatives from IDOT, FHWA, the project consultant team (AECOM and TranSystems), and sub-consultants. This group is tasked with determining the ultimate project recommendations and decisions on this project. The PST has primary responsibility for the project development process. This group will meet regularly as the project progresses to provide technical oversight and expertise in key areas including study process, agency procedures and standards, and technical approaches. The PST also has primary responsibility for ensuring compliance with the SIP.